Hoodlums raze car, two motorcycles in Abakaliki
EMERGENCY DIGEST- Hoodlums on Wednesday morning set ablaze a car and two motorcycles in various locations in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State.
The hoodlums, suspected to be pro-separatist group members, operated on bicycles.
They set ablaze a car along Hilltop Road very close to Water walks the road and a motorcycle at Hilton Junction near the former DSS State office.
A source in the area said the hoodlums went around from 4 am to 6 pm, taking residents unawares in unleashing the violence.
The source alleged that the motorcycle and car owners were also beaten up by the hoodlums.
In a coordinated operation, the hoodlums around the same time burnt down another motorcycle near Ebebe junction after Nnodo Secondary School.
A source in the area said the situation caused fear and panic among residents of that area
The source said: “There is panic in my side following the burning of a bike after Nnodo Secondary School before that bridge. Some motorists and passers-by in my Ozibo area refused to ply that our road but I plied it and dropped my children in school”.
It was gathered that security agents later arrived and took the burnt motorcycles and caraway.
Police spokesperson, Loveth Odah said the vehicle caught fire due to overheating and not as a result of an attack by hoodlums.
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Asked about the two motorcycles, she said she was not aware of the incidents and promised to get back to The Nation with details later.
She was yet to do so, hours laters.
However, it was gathered that some schools in the capital did not open.
A resident, Mr James Okorie, told our correspondent that he took his children to school but was turned back at the gate.
“They said they didn’t open today because of sit-at-home. So I had to take my kids back to the house,” he said.
Another resident said: “My children were told not to come to school today”.
Normalcy has, however, returned to the city at the time of writing this report as some residents were seen going about their normal business activities including in the areas where the attacks occurred.
Police patrol vans were also seen patrolling the streets to ward off any further attacks.
It was however observed that the sit-at-home was hugely successful in most parts of the state capital as many shops remained closed though a few opened for business.
Banks ran skeletal services even as some major eateries were opened while some remained closed.
Filling stations remained closed as black market operators made brisk business selling at exorbitant prices to users.
Commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators were in operation. Parks did not operate services outside the state.
Though there was free movement, The Nation observed that the number of persons and cars on the road were very minimal as the streets appeared deserted. Ends
